BYU basketball: Lingering back injury causes Harward to call it quits

BYU basketball • The Cougars only have 10 scholarship players on its roster.

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Provo • There suddently are three scholarship openings on the BYU men's basketball team.

Two weeks after guard Raul Delgado confirmed he was leaving the program to transfer to Division II Metro State, big man Ian Harward said he, too, won't be wearing a BYU basketball uniform next season.

However, the 6-foot-11 Harward is giving up basketball completely due to a lingering back injury he suffered last summer. He becomes the third BYU forward or center  joining Stephen Rogers and Chris Collinsworth  in two seasons to have his career ended early by injury.

A BYU news release said Harward will continue his studies at BYU.

"We are sorry to lose Ian," BYU coach Dave Rose said. "He is a fantastic teammate and one of the hardest workers we have had in our program. He will be missed in the locker room and on the floor. We wish him and his wife, Sarah, the very best."

Harward, who prepped at nearby Orem High, redshirted the 2011-12 season after returning from a church mission to San Antonio. In 2012-13, he appeared in 22 games while battling the back injury, scoring just 22 points and grabbing 21 rebounds.

His best game came against Notre Dame last November, when he stepped off the bench to score seven points.

"I am disappointed that my basketball career is ending," he said. "I have loved being a part of this program and playing with my teammates. ... My wife and I are excited to complete our education here at BYU and move on to the next stage in life."

With the Division I college basketball signing period set to end next Wednesday, BYU now has just 10 scholarship players on its roster. Teams are allowed 13.

Scholarship players for 2013-14 include six members of the 2012-13 team: Tyler Haws, Matt Carlino, Josh Sharp, Anson Winder, Nate Austin and Agustin Ambrosino. Kyle Collinsworth returns from an LDS Church mission to Russia, Skyler Halford transfers in from Salt Lake Community College, Erik Mika arrives from Lone Peak High and Luke Worthington arrives from Homestead High in Mequon, Wis.